Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-11-03
THE GETTETIIIL HISTORY IF OHIO.
srw.YInAIsD yu1Oz.
copyrighted. All rights rsssved.l
CHAPTER Ix.-THE EARLY SETTLERS OF


Copyrighted. All rights reseFved.l
CHAPTER Ix.-THE EARLY SETTLERS OF
CINCINNATI.
Simultaneously with the formation
of the New England "Ohio Company"
the United States entered into q similar
contract with John Cleves Syrhmes, Of
New Jersey, for the sale Of two million
acres Of land between the great and the
Little Miami rivers. Hamilton county
was the second county settled within
the State and the first within John
Eymmes' purchase. 1t was formed by
proclamation Of Governor st. Clair,
Alexander Hamilton.
Judge Burnet, one Of Its early set
tiers, gives the following account OF the
colony: 'Scon after the settlement
was commenced at Marietta three
parties were formed to occupy and Inn
prove separate portions of Judge Sym
mes purchase. The first, led by Major
Benjamin Sites, consisted Of eighteen
or twenty, who landed in November,
1888, at the mouth of the Little Miami
river within the limits of q tract of TO-
600 acres purchased by Major Sites
from Judge Symmes. They construct
ed log fort and laid out the town Of
Columbia, which soon became pro-
missing village. They were all
men Of energy and enterprise and were
more numerous than either OF the
parties who commenced their settle
ments below them on the Ohio. Their
village was also more fiourishing, and
for two or three years contained a
larger number of inhabitants than any
other In the Miami purchase This
superiority, however, did not continue,
as will appear from the sequel.
"The second party destined for the
Miami was formed at Limestone,
(Maysville, Ky.,) under Matthias Dem
man aud Robert Patterson. After
much difficulty and danger, caused by
floating ice in the river, they lapded on
the northern bank of the Ohio, opposite
the mouth of the Licking; on the oath
of December, 1888. Their purpose was
to establish station and lay out town
according to plan agreed upon before
they left Limestone. The name adopt
ed for the proposed town was
LosANTEvILLE.
Which had been manufactured by a
pedantic foreigner, whose name,
fortunately, has been forgotten. Itwas
formed. as he said, from the words lie os
ante vile, which he rendered the viii
lage opposite the mouth Logicians
may decide whether the words might
not be rendered more correctly, the
mouth before the village ~. The
town was never laid out, for reasons
which will be explained hereafter. Yet,
from the facts stated, very general
belief has prevailed that the original
name of the town of Cincinnati was
Losanteville, and that through the
influence of Gov. st. Clair and others
that name was abandoned and the
name of Cincinnati substituted. This
impression, though natural one, under
the circumstances of the case, was
nevertheless incorrect. 1t Is impossible
to say what influence operated on the
minds of the proprietors to induce
them to adopt the name of Cincinnati,
in preference to the one previously pro-
posed. Judge Symmes, being on the
spot, might have advised it. Late
in the succeeding fall, Col. Israel Lud-
low commenced o survey of the town
WllC1 uh6 DlnCO OCCOlAC thO NuCChl
City, of the West. He first laid offthe
lots, which, by previous agreement,
were to be disposed of as donations to
volunteer settlers, and completed the
survey at his leisure.
"The third party of adventures to
the Miami Purchase was under the
immediate care and directions of Judge
Symmes. They left Limestone on the
29th of January, 1889, and on their pas
sage down the river, was obstructed,
delayed and exposed to imminent
danger from floating ice, which covered
the river. They, however, reached
"The Bend" the place of their destina.
ton, in safety, early In February. The
first object of the Judge was to found q
city at that place, which had received
the name of North Bend, from the
fact that it was the most northern bend
in the Ohio river below the mouth Oi
the Great Kanawha. The water-craft
used In descending the Ohio, in those
primitive times, were flat-boats made
of green-oak plank, fastened by wooden
pins to frame of timber, and caulked
with tow, or any other plant substance
that could be procured.
"SYMMES CITY"
"The surface of the ground where the
Judge and his party had landed, was
above the reach of tho water, and suffi.
ciently level to admit ofa settlement
conveniently. He therefore determin
ed for the immediate accommodation
of his party, to lay out village at thai
place, and to suspend for the present
the execution ofkhis purpose, az to the
city, If which lie had given notice
until satisfactory information could b
obtained in regard to the comparative
advantages of different places in the
vicinity. The determination Of laying
out Il city, was not abandoned, but wal
executed In the succeeding year on 8
magnificent scale. 1t included the vii
lage, and extended from the Ohio across
the peninsula to the Miamiriver. This
city, which was certainly q beautiful
one OH paper, was called "Symmes,'
and for time was subject of conver
sati0n and criticism; but 1t soon ceased
to be remembered --even its name wa.
forgotten, and the settlement continued
to be called North Bend. Since ther
the village has been distinguished oil
thel residence and the home of the
soldier and statesman William Henry
Harrison, whose remains now repose Iii
humble vault on one of its beautifu
hills. The three principal set
Elements of the Miami country were
commenced in the manner above de
scribed; and although they had one oh
ject, aud were threatened by one com
mon danCar. va6 there axistad n atr0nt